The present disclosure relates generally to a step apparatus for a vehicle and method of operation thereof, and particularly to a step apparatus in operable communication with a door of the vehicle.
Vehicles having high road clearance, such as trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUV's) for example, and especially high-road-clearance vehicles suitable for non-off-road use, may be provided with permanent or retractable steps at one or more doorways for assisting a passenger who is embarking or disembarking the vehicle. While permanent or retractable steps may be suitable for their intended purpose, either type of step may result in some loss of ground clearance that may not be desirable. A permanent step may have a limited tread width as defined by the overall vehicle width, and a retractable step may have limited horizontal and vertical displacement between retracted and deployed positions. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a step apparatus for a vehicle that overcomes these drawbacks.